RESTRAINTS

INTRODUCTION

Children may need to be restrained for some diagnostic procedures, therapeutic procedures or during the physical examination and sometimes to protect from an injury

An appropriate safe and comfortable restraint should be selected. The restraint may be provided manually with help of some device

PURPOSE

To carry out the physical examination

To provide the safety to child

To protect the child from injury

To complete the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures

To maintain the child in prescribed position

To reduce the discomfort of child during some tests and procedures like specimen collection

ARTICLES NEEDED

Baby blanket or draw sheet

4” bandages for clove hitch knot

Cotton pads

Restraint cloths with pocket

Wooden plastic sticks (spatula) to keep in for elbow restraint

Scissors to cut the bandage

Jacket for jacket restraint

Adhesive tape to fix the bandage

POINTS TO

REMEMBER WHILE

RESTRAINING

Always select the safe and appropriate restraint

Restraint should not be too tight; it should not interfere with the normal circulation

Use appropriate cotton pads for maintaining the comfort of child

Restraint should demonstrate to the child, on the child doll to gain the cooperation and reduce the anxiety

Explain the restraint and it to comportment that the child should be able to understand

Always maintain comfort to the child and maintain body alignment

Open the restraint knot, when the side rails are eased to prevent traction

Observe the restraint every 20-30 minutes to prevent any complications

Change the side of child to prevent pressure sore

Do not give too much tight knot. It should be easily releasable

Do not provide purposeless restraining

Do the recording and reporting properly

TYPES OF

RESTRAINING

Mummy restraint

Mummy restraint is used for the children to restrict the moment of limbs

It is used to the children for examination, procedure and treatment of head, neck and face is required

For example like scalp vein puncture, ear examination, and eye irrigation, gastric and gastric lavage

EXAMPLE

PROCEDURE

Take blanket or draw sheet and spread it our the bed or table

One corner of a small blanket is folded over

The infant is paced on the blanket with the neck at the edge of the fold

Keep one hand of baby near the body and wrap the baby,s body by holding the corner of the sheet and tuck it under the body in opposite side

Now place another hand near the body and wrap the childs body by holding another corner of sheet and tuck it

Now take the rounded sheet at bottom near the leg and fold it towards the chest and tuck it upper level of sheet or we can pin it at lower of sheet

It restrict all extremities

ELBOW AND KNEE RESTRAINT

Elbow and knee restraint is used to control the flexion of elbow and knee

In this a readymade cloth with 6-10 pockets is used

Place the cotton on sides of elbow and knee and the knee the wooden or plastic strips on pocket cloth. These pockets are vertical

Place the cloth on elbow and knee and adjust it with central location and tie the both side strips properly

Commercial plastic or padded wooden splint can also used

This elbow restraint is used in case of face and head surgeries

Cleft lip and cleft palate, scalp vein infusion,

heart injuries and sutures are good examples of

using this elbow restraint

ABDOMINAL RESTRAINT

This restraint is used to hold the infant in a supine position on the bed

Abdominal restraint should not be too light, so that it cannot interfere with respiration and bowel movement

For this restraint, use wide size wooden stripsPlace the cotton pad appropriately to provide the proper comfort

Extremity Restraint (Ankle & Wrist restraint)

This involve the extremity (one or more) restraint to complete some procedures

It is used to immobilize the extremities

These are various method uses for ankle and wrist restraint

CLOVE HITCH RESTRAINT

CLOVE HITCH KNOT RESTRAINT

It used to immobilize the leg or arm

The material for clove hitch can be soft cloth, crepe bandage and inch wide gauze bandage

First apply the cotton pad over the wrist, ankle to provide comfort

Prepare a figure of “eight” by the bandage and place it on the wrist or in the ankle and tie the bandage by knot

Knot should not be too tight, or too loose

Child can remove the knot, if it is too loose

To tight knot can interfere on blood circulation

The fingers and toes should be checked for discoloration or any skin rashes

Finger Restraint or mitten restraint

It can be completed by making a mitten

The mitten course the all fingers of a hand and restrict the movement of the fingers

The hand can be wrapped by gauze or hand can be put in a bag like pouch and tie it properly at the wrist of child

Finger restraint is used in case of facial surgeries, burns, intravenous infusion, any eczema of face and body parts

Keep the mitten soft and it should not interfere circulation

Crib-net restraint

In this a net is used to cover the child cot

Net is attached to the cot frame

This net restraint is used to prevent the children climbing over the side rails of cot

Inside the crib net, the child is totally free to move, no movement is restricted

It mainly prevents the child to climb and fall from the side rails cot

Jacket Restraint

In this method, a jacket made up of soft cloth and leather is used

This jacket has laces at the back and two long strips

The laces are tied at back and long strips tie at the side below the rails under the mattress

Child can sit and sleep in supine position while wearing jacket

It can use on chair also

This restraint is used to avoid the child from climbing over the side rails, climbing out from chair, bed, cot, etc.

It prevent the child from fall and injury

Some other types eg. Chest restraints are also used for children who are sitting on a chair or wheel chair to maintain their position and to prevent them from fall and injury

Safety Belts

These are made up of electrically non-conductive material

These belts are used on stricter and operation labels to prevent the children from falling

The belts go around the childs waist and tied to the frame of bed under the mattress

Side Rails

The rails are made up of iron or steel

These can be raised when ever need arises and can be decreased as per convenience

The main purpose of side rails are to prevent from fall and can be used for other restraints.

These are used for children with convulsive disorders also

Splints

These are prepared devices which are used to restraint the movements of extremities

These are made up of plastic, card board, hard paper, and cotton and gauze pieces

These can be applied where ever needed

COMPLICATIONS OF

RESTRAINTS

If restraints are not used properly, it can cause various complications or hazards

It can interfere the child muscular development due to lack movement

If restraint is too tight, it cause obstruction in blood circulation tissue damage, redness, scar formation, discoloration of the skin etc

Dislocation of the shoulder joint may occur if the child struggles during application of arm restraints

Development of pressure sore, if the child is kept restricted for longer period of time and does not have frequent change of position and skin care

Hypostatic pneumonia due to immobility

Ischemia or nerve damage due to constrictive restrains

Psychic injury to the child, the child feels that, he/she is punished, attention is self body image

Disturbance in psychosocial developmentPPREVENTIONTo avoid from these hazards, the care giver or nurse should follow the safety precautions

Use proper amount of cotton pads, and do not use too tight restraint

Always follow continuous observation on child

If any application occurs release the restraint and consult with doctor

Maintain proper recording and reporting

PREVENTION